An era has ended for Wong Yuk Hei, better known by his stage name Lucas. The Hong Kong idol has officially left SM Entertainment following the expiration of his exclusive contract with the South Korean giant on April 24, 2026.
SM Entertainment released an official statement that was filled with emotion and provided full support for the artist's future. "We will always cherish every moment we've shared with Lucas, from his trainee days to his debut.
We hope fans will continue to support him as he embarks on this new chapter in his career," wrote an SM Entertainment representative. Lucas's career in the entertainment industry began in a rather unique way.
Joining the SM Global Audition in Hong Kong in 2015, he admitted on "Knowing Brothers" that he didn't have any special talents at the time. "I didn't prepare at all. I didn't dance or sing at the audition.
I only got through by striking a few different poses," he recalled. However, his extraordinary visual charm proved effective. After three years of training, Lucas debuted with NCT U with the hit song "BOSS" in 2018.
His career skyrocketed until he was trusted to be a pillar in two other big groups, namely WayV and the super-executive group SuperM. Unfortunately, Lucas's peak popularity came to a screeching halt in August 2021.
He was caught up in a gaslighting scandal after several women claiming to be his ex-girlfriends revealed his idol's manipulative behavior, infidelity, and financial exploitation.
This scandal forced Lucas to go on hiatus for two years before finally officially leaving NCT and WayV in May 2023 to pursue a solo career. However, their comeback attempt with Renegade appears to be hampered by the strength of cancel culture.
Physical album sales have only reached 31,961 copies, while streaming figures on Spotify have been less than encouraging, with only 124,777 streams since its release.
With the expiration of his contract with SM Entertainment, speculation about the 27-year-old's future has begun to emerge. Rumors suggest Lucas will focus more on building his career in China. Over the past year, Lucas has reportedly begun branching out into the world of acting.
Without the shadow of a K-Pop agency, his transition to acting in China is predicted to be a major step in proving whether he can win back the public's affection after the storm of scandals that engulfed him.
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